Slain couple found near Hardeeville car wreck died of gunshot wounds

A slain couple found in a ditch near a wrecked vehicle in Hardeeville both died of gunshot wounds to the head, Jasper County Coroner Martin Sauls said Monday.

An autopsy answered one of many questions about the double homicide that claimed Dezmond Brown, 25, of Hardeeville and Octavia Scott, 26, of Bluffton, who authorities have said were dating.

Their bodies were found near a vehicle that crashed into a tree outside of a home on Purrysburg Road late Friday. A passerby discovered the bodies and reported the incident as a crash before discovering that the victims had also been shot, according to authorities.

Authorities said blood and other evidence inside the vehicle indicated that something happened before the crash, which occurred at a high speed. However, footprints outside the vehicle matched Brown's.

Hardeeville Police Chief Richard Nagy said officers began receiving tips early Saturday that have led to several leads. But no suspects have been identified and no motive has been established, he said Monday.

"We still have several leads that we're following up on," Nagy said. "We've gotten a lot of help from the community."

The wrecked vehicle belonged to an unnamed Hilton Head Island resident who had loaned the car to the couple, authorities have said.